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Taiwan’s US envoy: West must not ‘look the other way’ in face of Chinese aggression

Published Thu, 26 Dec 2024 20:51:51 GMT

Listen on Spotify Apple Music Google Play EN_Google_Podcasts_Badge Created with Sketch. Acast Amazon Music In Taiwan, political parties are entering the final stint of a lively campaign as voters prepare to go to the polls in a presidential election on 13 January. With a population of 23 million, Taiwan is at the precarious juncture of the South and East China seas, buffeted by geo-...

Allen: Americans say costly college degree not worth it

Published Thu, 26 Dec 2024 20:51:51 GMT

FORT WORTH, Texas — It’s the season for blow-out holiday sales. That thing you’ve been eyeing all year, the one that skyrocketing inflation made just a little too pricey to justify, is probably now a steal.If only that were the case about college tuition. Instead, that just continues to rise. And Fort Worth’s own Texas Christian University seems to be leading the pack.During the next academic year, TCU’s tuition is set to rise a whopping 7.9%. That’s an additional $4,500 year over year, for a grand total of $61,643 — an increase that means the cost of attending TCU now tops that of Harvard, America’s oldest and most prestigious university.Harvard costs only a measly $56,249 in comparison. After the $50k mark, what’s a couple thousand more, really?Mind you, that’s just tuition; it doesn’t include food, housing, books or the countless other fees and expenses that accrue during college.The cost of attending a private university has soared exponentially over the last decade, curre...

The best holiday gifts match their passions

Published Thu, 26 Dec 2024 20:51:51 GMT

You just know Aunt Edna’s going to send you a Monopoly set this holiday without bothering to ask if you already have one. (You have six, thanks.)  And yes, someone at work is probably going to gift you another fruitcake. You’ll probably get the “I heart Chicago” mug again in a Yankee swap.Enough already with the ho-hum gifts that don’t take anyone’s personal likes, dislikes, needs, or passions into account.With almost a week and a half left till Christmas, there’s still time to order thoughtful and creative, clever, and unusual gifts for your friends and loved ones based on their interests. Here are a few ideas to make you an absolute hero this holiday.For the Wellness Pioneer: Ask any friend or family member who’s constantly pushing themselves physically — either as an occasional fitness enthusiast on up to a top tier athlete — and they’ll tell you that one of the toughest obstacles to surmount to optimal performance can be releasing tight hip flexors. Those muscles can be darn nea...

Hallelujah the Hills on deck for Sinclair show

Published Thu, 26 Dec 2024 20:51:51 GMT

In (roughly) a year’s time, Hallelujah the Hills will release a 52-song, four-album set — one original new song for each card in a deck.The idea is bonkers. It’s like a sonic “Apocalypse Now” or “Infinite Jest” or “General Hospital,” ridiculous, glorious, and absolutely attainable for Hallelujah the Hills’s frontman and songwriter Ryan Walsh.Walsh admits that “DECK” sounds a little like something an extremely baked musician pitches to bandmates in a tour van at 2 a.m. (only to be remembered ten years later with a, “Hey, man, whatever happened to our plan to…”).“How about 20 years? Because that’s when I came up with the idea,” Walsh told the Herald with a laugh. “I became really enamored with things like the Magnetic Fields’ ‘69 Love Songs’ and Guided By Voices’ ‘Suitcase,’ which is like four discs of songs that no one had ever heard, and the touchstone that I always talk about, the ‘Anthology of American Folk Music.’”“So the idea came easy,” Walsh added. “But then I guess it was 20 ...

Lucas: Harvard chief a good fit for Boston City Council

Published Thu, 26 Dec 2024 20:51:51 GMT

Claudine Gay should run for Boston City Council. She would fit right in.In fact, she could swap her job as president of Harvard University — as long she has it– to become president of the city council.As for now, Gay is safe – unlike  University of Pennsylvania president Liz Magill who resigned following the furor over her failure before Congress to recognize and address waves of antisemitism on college campuses.Gay could join in with City Councilor Tania Fernandes-Anderson and others and open council sessions with the anti-Jewish chant “From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free” and get applause for doing so.If there is any criticism, she could say that it’s all about the context.That aside Anderson, on behalf of the city council, presented a resolution to two New Mission High School students for leading a pro-Palestinian walkout at the school. They went on to chant the anti-Jewish slogan, the meaning of which they undoubtedly don’t know.Outgoing Cit...

Editorial: Voting rights measure serves Boston pols

Published Thu, 26 Dec 2024 20:51:51 GMT

Boston needs voters – citizens, non-citizens, it doesn’t matter to the City Council. Boosting low-turnout districts on election day is all that matters.That’s the backstory to yesterday’s passage of a measure granting immigrants with “legal status,” but not full citizenship the right to vote in local elections.As the Herald reported, Councilor Kendra Lara put forward a hearing order on the issue last month. Lara asserted that immigrants with “legal status” constitute more than 28% of the city population, pay on average $2.3 billion in taxes annually, and hold roughly $6 billion in “collective spending power.”“They’re not able to participate in the electoral process, in what I believe is a violation of one of our foundational American principles,” Lara said.Spending power equaling voting rights isn’t a foundational American principle. Citizenship conferring certain rights, include the right to vote, is.Legal status refers to an immigrant who ...

AP breaking stories and Nation and World news

Published Thu, 26 Dec 2024 20:51:51 GMT

The latest from the Associated Press right here…FILE – Asylum-seekers walk to a U.S. Border Patrol van after crossing the nearby border with Mexico, Tuesday Sept. 26, 2023, near Jacumba Hot Springs, Calif. Migrants continue to arrive to desert campsites along California’s border with Mexico, as they await processing. Congress is discussing changes to the immigration system in exchange for providing money to Ukraine in its fight against Russia and Israel for the war with Hamas. (AP Photo/Denis Poroy, File)Hunter Biden, son of President Joe Biden, talks to reporters at the U.S. Capitol, in Washington, Wednesday, Dec. 13, 2023. Hunter Biden lashed out at Republican investigators who have been digging into his business dealings, insisting outside the Capitol he will only testify before a congressional committee in public. (AP Photo/Jose Luis Magana)Argentina’s newly sworn-in President Javier Milei, left, and his sister Karina arrive to the Colon Theater for a gal...

“Wonka’ a bit wonky, but worthy

Published Thu, 26 Dec 2024 20:51:51 GMT

In a year of “Barbie,” Harry Styles and Taylor Swift, we now get Timothee Chalamet as Willy Wonka. Wonka, of course, was created by the now problematic British author Roald Dahl in his 1964 novel “Charlie & the Chocolate Factory.” Dahl has recently been accused of antisemitism and racism.Wonka has been portrayed previously by the great Gene Wilder in “Willy Wonka & the Chocolate Factory,” a film I have never liked, directed by documentary filmmaker Mel Stuart (“Wattstax”). More recently, Johnny Depp played Wonka in Tom Burton’s 2005 effort “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory,” another film I was not enthusiastic about, although at least it was deeply weird.“Wonka,” which was directed by Paul King of those pleasant enough “Paddington” films, is certainly sugary enough,  maybe too sugary. It is a prequel to “Charlie & the Chocolate Factory,” an “origin film” co-written by King and his co-writer Simon Farnaby (“Paddington 2”). Wonka first appears on the mast of a ship,...

Dear Abby: Alzheimer’s treatment needs volunteers

Published Thu, 26 Dec 2024 20:51:51 GMT

Dear Abby: After decades of research, I’m thrilled with the recent major progress being made in treatments for people who already have symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease. I’m hoping that, one day, we will be able to prevent people from developing memory impairment and dementia.Brain changes, including the buildup of a toxic protein into amyloid plaques, begin up to 20 years before a person notices any symptoms. This “asymptomatic” stage may be the perfect time to test treatments aiming to delay or prevent symptoms before they begin.This is why we are conducting the AHEAD Study, an investigational trial of lecanemab, an FDA-approved medication for mild cognitive impairment and mild dementia due to Alzheimer’s disease. The AHEAD Study is testing whether starting lecanemab in those with amyloid plaques BEFORE symptoms start can help prevent cognitive decline.As a neurologist, a clinical researcher and someone who has seen Alzheimer’s in my own fam...

Column: Will Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen attend the Chicago Bulls Ring of Honor celebration?

Published Thu, 26 Dec 2024 20:51:51 GMT

The Chicago Bulls Ring of Honor provides some long overdue recognition for several of the franchise’s greatest players and coaches, along with the two Hall of Famers who already have been feted at the United Center: Michael Jordan and Scottie Pippen.But now comes the hard part for the Bulls — getting Jordan and Pippen to respond to their evite with a “yes” instead of a “no” or “maybe.”No matter what happened between them, the Bulls desperately want the two biggest stars in franchise history to attend the dinner for all the Ring of Honor honorees on Jan. 11 at the United Center and at the halftime ceremony celebrating the members on Jan. 12, when the Bulls play host to the Golden State Warriors.If Pippen accepts, will Jordan send his regrets?If Jordan decides to come, will Pippen stay away?Are the Bulls better off if only one attends?It’s complicated, this Bulls reunion thing, thanks to Pippen’s harsh response to the alleged...